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We had a little discussion about this in the other thread, but this goes further than just UFC199. UFC just banned the best journalist in the game for reporting news.

[tweet]https://twitter.com/arielhelwani/status/739324103061032960[/tweet]

[tweet]https://twitter.com/arielhelwani/status/739325375923269633[/tweet]

Mainstream sports media react:

[tweet]https://twitter.com/ChrisMannixYS/status/739338025235189761[/tweet]
[tweet]https://twitter.com/richeisen/status/739459633002094595[/tweet]
[tweet]https://twitter.com/billbarnwell/status/739458628101476353[/tweet]
[tweet]https://twitter.com/LeBatardShow/status/739465542768205824[/tweet]
[tweet]https://twitter.com/Deadspin/status/739463886861172736[/tweet]

If any of the major sports networks had integrity, they'd unify and deny coverage until it was changed.
Cowards

Headliner wrote:If any of the major sports networks had integrity, they'd unify and deny coverage until it was changed.
Cowards

[tweet]https://twitter.com/ChrisMannixYS/status/739338377246310401[/tweet]

Love seeing Eisen and other senior members of the media stand up for Ariel.

IMO, this only makes Ariel bigger. He's too big now to give up and he's too creative and talented to let the UFC push him out of the spotlight.

WTF happened?

Nemesis21 wrote:WTF happened?

Ariel broke the Brock news.

Susan wrote:Love seeing Eisen and other senior members of the media stand up for Ariel.

IMO, this only makes Ariel bigger. He's too big now to give up and he's too creative and talented to let the UFC push him out of the spotlight.

Yep. This isn't like Stitch or Burt Watson, who will stay in the media for a few days and then be forgotten. Ariel is too visible, has too huge a following. His show on Monday will be fire!

The UFC trying to bring Ariel down is the best thing that ever happened to him. This will only make him more popular.

Its just so fascinating because given the visibility, you'd have to think that the ufc will back down. That said, this is zuffa, more arrogance and biceps than brains. It'll be interesting to see if they stick to their guns.

Lost in this is that two others from mmafighting were escorted out and banned as well, just for being Ariel's colleagues. Including Esther Lin, the best mma photographer in the game. They hurt themselves here.

Hopefully Helwani reports Brock's opponent before the official announcement on ESPN sportscentre

REDDzone wrote:

Nemesis21 wrote:WTF happened?

Ariel broke the Brock news.

Oh

Conor isn't Conor without the MMAHOUR years ago.

I really hope a few of the big media outlets get behind Helwani here and boycott any coverage leading up to and after UFC 200. The last UFC MMA story on Espn should be the ones on there at this moment other than stories about this bush league move until the situation is rectified.

Absolutely despicable that the hardest working, respected and professional journalist in MMA was kicked out of the building and banned for life for simply doing his job.

REDDzone wrote: They hurt themselves here.

I don't know, this is more high profile, but it's not like they haven't done this before.

Disgraceful man.

Agreed on this making Ariel bigger. I don't know what there even trying to prove here, or accomplish.

There always after everybody... Illegal streams, reporters, sponsorships. Fight fight fight.

Banning the most connected reporter and huge fan of mma... And just for breaking a story. This was a huge story With two huge media companies... I mean, are they really surprised? That's bad business and will backfire. Though I expect Ariel will be back, an even more made man.


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Also they had previously gotten to Fox to kick him out, right?

Jasen777 wrote:

REDDzone wrote: They hurt themselves here.

I don't know, this is more high profile, but it's not like they haven't done this before.

Sadly, this. I'd love to see this gain some traction and lead to change, but I suspect like stitch or Burt, people will move on pretty quickly. Especially with all the UFC 200, Brock, and Connor/Diaz 2 talk going on at the same time. It's wishful thinking to think companies are going to revolt and not cover the UFC over this IMO.

This is on an entirely different level from Stitch and I don't even know who "Burt" is. Most people had no opinion on Stitch until he was let go. Ariel already had a huge following and was viewed as some kind of bad ass martyr before this happened. I don't see this dying down until he gets his ban lifted. And then it will be turned into a meme.